You have to be in the right state of mind when you come to Cozumel. On a recent trip to the island, I had purposely left my last four nights open without a hotel reservation because I wanted to try somewhere that I'd never stayed at before. After working all day on a photo shoot and review of the Northern Zone hotels, I decided on the Hotel Fontan. They've had a run of bad luck lately and the place has become a bit rundown. People cautioned me to pick somewhere else, but at $40 a night for an oceanfront room with a pool and restaurant onsite, it was too tempting for this cheapskate to resist. The fact that there were all of five other people staying there only added to its appeal.

I'm not squeamish about most things, but I like my bathroom clean and my sheets fresh. The first night I made my way to the Fontan, I was tired and stinky and not in a laughing mood when my key wouldn't open the door to my room. After a fifteen minute ordeal with a young man from the hotel and approximately fifty different keys, we finally found one that worked. I eagerly opened the door, chucked off my dusty, sweaty clothes and prepared to hop in the shower, only to be stopped in my tracks by the little black iguana perched upside down on the doorframe, bobbing his head at me as if I had invaded his privacy.

Okay, check my frame of mind. He's little, he's cute, he doesn't bite me, and he eats mosquitoes and other bugs. I'm on a Caribbean island with no worries. Let it go.

The cute little fellow was just disappearing up inside the metal door jam when I finished my shower as if turning in for the night. I got into light comfortable pajamas, grabbed my book and headed for the inviting king-sized bed. The inch long, roach-like bug above the headboard changed my mind. Where's the damn iguana when you need him?

Apparently the noise I made trying to annihilate the invading insect concerned the young man who had helped me earlier. Soon he was knocking on the door to see if everything was okay. I was able to explain the situation to him and he removed the bug by scooping it up in his hands and tossing it out the door. There was no smirking, no shaking of the head, but I couldn't help but feel like a silly, helpless, American woman. I hate that!

Except, as long as I had him there, I figured I should at least mention the iguana. The young man, who had introduced himself as Philipe, looked around the bathroom for a few minutes, then smiled and began stuffing toilet paper up inside the door jam where the iguana had last been seen. After several minutes, he brushed his hands on his pants smiled at me again and chirped, "all better, no?" Well, what could I do? I nodded, thanked him, and sent him on his way.

Okay, I admit it, it took me awhile to get into bed and feel comfortable again. But the sheets were clean and fresh, the day had been long, hot and full of new friends, and in the big scope of things, the bug and the iguana were not all that important. If young Philipe could take it with a grain of salt, so could I. When in Rome, right? I fell asleep to the sound of the surf just steps away from my door.

The next morning the sun rose on my bright, cheery, oceanside room that was costing me just $40 a night. I had slept, I was tan, I had no pending plans. I knew it was going to be a good day. I complimented myself on being a trooper, threw on my swimsuit and stepped outside to dive into the pool for an early morning dip before breakfast. Philipe was across the way, sweeping sand off the patio, and when he saw me he came over with a conspiratorial smile on his face. "Good morning, C.J." he said in English. "I have something for you." He held out his cupped hands, slowly opened his fingers and presented me with a small, rubber iguana! "For you," he said laughing.

I have no idea where he got it, but the toy iguana became my roommate for the remainder of my stay, accompanying me to dinner and sunning with me by the pool. I never saw the real one (or the bug) again. The tale became a shared joke with all the staff at the hotel and apparently transformed me from just another American tourist to a friend and a good sport. My drinks were free, the room was cleaned spotless, the staff treated me like family, and Philipe invited me for a scooter ride and dinner at his house in the heart of the town. My last four days were fabulous!

Donít let fear of the unknown keep you from experiencing Cozumel's beautiful underwater world. This truly is one of the most unforgettable aspects of the island and there is more than one way to experience this!